Colleen at Wordcraft poetry suggested writing an acrostic poem based on a word from a list she provided. She asked every line to be 8, 9, or 10 syllables long. I used the word ORACLE. Each line begins with a letter from that word so that if you read down instead of across you see the word oracle. I created a form of 8, 9, 10, 10, 9, 8 and rhymed same count lines with each other.
Voice of the Gods
On the sunwarmed rock she holds court
Ruling a man’s world with prescient words.
All listen and quake, even mighty kings
Clothed in velvet vestments and golden rings.
Love and riches–often doom–they heard,
Even took heed or to the heart.
A couple of years ago Memoryhouse Magazine published an acrostic poem I wrote using the title of my favorite Whitman poem, “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking.” Note that my title starts the phrase and then the first letters of each line the last part, “endlessly rocking.”
So elusive this page! I loved both poems — the imagination of #1 and the palpable reality of #2. Snap beads indeed! Where coins hide and perfect, dewy memory.
Thank you so much! So happy you like them!
Luanne, I love both of your acrostic poems. I like how you told the story of the oracle, in the first. Endlessly Rocking really speaks to me too!
Thank you so much, Colleen. I hadn’t really considered the oracles before, but the word inspired me to read about them! I’m so glad the second one spoke to you!
I love both poems! Thank you for sharing them xo
Thank you, Marie!
You’ve captured her essence well, Luanne. That first line really hooked me.
Also enjoyed the other acrostic you shared, so many fun memories from childhood.
Thank you so much! The oracles are so interesting. I had no idea until I started to read about them. So glad you enjoyed the childhood poem, too!
I particularly like how out of the cradle moves in such an associative way from one memory to the next. The last three lines bring the poem together beautifully. I hadn’t read Whitman’s poem in years, so I just went back and read it. The two of you definitely have a call-and-response thing going.
Thank you so much, Liz. that makes me happy to hear that because Whitman’s poem is one of my very favorite poems, and I think it’s absolutely masterful. The thought that I can correspond in a way with Whitman about it is a wonderful thing to imagine.
You’re welcome, Luanne.
I love both poems Luanne, a mystical feel about them ❤️
Oh, I like that. Thank you so much!
The power of women. (K)
I love how the female oracle truly held the power!
Both poems are amazing, Luanne! I loved them!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thank you so much , Yvette! So happy you like them!
Brilliant poetry Luanne! The second one is so complex… I had to read and re-read to understand all the nuances.
Balroop, thank you! I feel like the second one is very dense or thick in that a lot of images are crowded so closely together!
I really like this Acrostic 💜
Thank you so much! It was a fun one to write!
It was it got us all thinking 💜
I like how you capture how rare it was for a woman to have that power.
Kerfe and I both chose “Oracle,” as well.
I like the childhood memory–“snap-lock” is such a great, sharp sound.
Thanks, Merril. I will go check yours out!
You’re welcome!
Both acrostics are enchanting. I’m not sure if it has a special name but I knowsome folks have tried to do ancrostics with two words of the same length – the beginning letters and the end letters. Not the same words though. But maybe that could be done to? Imagination lets us roam and snap those beads of memory together in different order to create new things.
These are glorious—great job. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
I love the juxtaposition of the two poems…both of women/girls who are powerful in totally different ways. The little girl’s power is vast, but she has to reign it in. You gave me a wonderful gift poems this morning!
I am in awe at your talent, Luanne. <3
Oh Carol, that is so kind!
But so true <3
Both poems are excellent, Luanne.
Thank you so much, Robbie!